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OpenPrimaryOfsted: Requires improvementURN 119615

St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School

Voluntary aided school · Darwen · BB3 0HY

Ages 4–11 · 184 pupils · Blackburn with Darwen

School website

Ofsted

Requires improvement

KS2 expected (RWM)

32%

Overall absence

5.7%

Admissions demand

0.90 · Balanced demand

Ofsted

Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.

Read full report

Headline

Requires improvement

Inspection date

2024-05-01

Overall effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Safeguarding effective
Yes

Source: Ofsted monthly management information

Performance

Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.

Key stage 2 (2023/24)

Expected standard (RWM)32%
Higher standard (RWM)0%
Avg scaled score — reading
101.0
Avg scaled score — maths
100.0
Avg scaled score — GPS
101.0

Source: DfE school and college performance tables

Absence

Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.

Overall absence5.7%
Persistent absence (10%+)16.1%
Unauthorised2.1%
Authorised absence
3.6%
Severe absence (50%+)
1.0%
Enrolments in measure
199

Absence trend

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

  • Overall
  • Persistent (10%+)

Source: DfE pupil absence in schools in England

Admissions demand

Coordinated admissions for primary entry (2024/25 cycle, national offer day). Demand ratio compares families who listed this school 1st with total offers made — not a catchment or distance guarantee.

Demand ratio

0.90 · Balanced demand

1st preferences

19

Places offered

21

1st-preference offers

19

Total preferences (any rank)
54
Preferred offers (top 3)
21
Applications from outside LA
0
Offers to outside-LA applicants
0

Source: DfE primary and secondary school applications and offers. Figures reflect offers on national offer day; late applications, appeals and waiting lists are not included.

Size & intake

From the GIAS school census (15 Jan 2026).

Capacity fill82%

184 pupils · 225 places

Pupils on roll
184
Boys / girls
78 / 106
School capacity
225
Capacity fill
184 / 225 (82%)
Free school meals
33.7%
FSM pupils
62
Gender
Mixed
School type
Voluntary aided school

Age range

Ages 4–11

05111619

Provision

Official GIAS characteristics

1 / 6

  • Nursery
  • Sixth form
  • Boarding
  • Special school
  • Independent
  • Academy

School characteristics

Religious character
Church of England
Diocese
Diocese of Blackburn
Special classes
Has Special Classes
Governance
Voluntary aided school
Headteacher
Mrs Emily Coolican

Location

Address
St Albans Road
Postcode
BB3 0HY
Town
Darwen
County
Lancashire
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen
District
Blackburn with Darwen
Constituency
Rossendale and Darwen
Urban/rural
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

SEN & specialist provision

As recorded in GIAS — provision detail, not an Ofsted judgement.

SEN types
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
Special classes
Has Special Classes
Resourced provision
Resourced provision
Resourced places
16 on roll / 16 capacity

Local context

How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.

Mixed voluntary aided school (primary), Ages 4–11, in Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, 184 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: special school. Free school meals: 33.7%. SEN provision includes: MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty. Religious character: Church of England. Diocese: Diocese of Blackburn.

Open schools in Darwen
19
Primary schools in Darwen
14
Academies among open schools in Darwen
37% (7)
Open schools in BB3
21
Primary in BB3
14
Open schools in Blackburn with Darwen LA
89
Primary in Blackburn with Darwen LA
56

Nearby primary schools

Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.

Compare with theseAll in DarwenNear BB3

  • Avondale Primary School

    Ofsted: School remains Good

    Community school · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 1NN · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS267%
    • Absence4.7%
    • FSM28.0%
    • Demand0.97

    0.3 miles away

  • Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy

    Ofsted: Not judged

    Academy converter · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 0EY · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 3–11

    • KS228%
    • Absence9.5%
    • FSM41.5%
    • Demand1.00

    0.9 miles away

  • Holy Trinity VC School

    Ofsted: Not judged

    Voluntary controlled school · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 2RW · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS229%
    • Absence9.2%
    • FSM47.9%
    • Demand1.00

    1.0 miles away

  • Lower Darwen Primary School

    Ofsted: Good

    Community school · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 0RB · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS235%
    • Absence7.1%
    • FSM20.4%
    • Demand0.98

    1.1 miles away

  • Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary

    Ofsted: Not judged

    Voluntary aided school · Primary

    Blackburn · BB2 4JJ · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS281%
    • Absence4.7%
    • FSM10.3%
    • Demand1.00

    1.3 miles away

  • Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary

    Ofsted: Needs attention

    Academy converter · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 3EB · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS213%
    • Absence9.3%
    • FSM50.3%
    • Demand0.94

    1.3 miles away

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Contact

Headteacher
Mrs Emily Coolican
Telephone
01254701336
Website
www.stcuthbertscofeprimary.co.uk

Official links